One Hour Challenge: Snow
by CykeclopsFF7
Summary: This is based on a one hour challenge created by a writing group that I am in. The word for that particular week was snow. Sean, Mara, and Vincent continue their worldly adventures as they continue to face the scorn of the world around them, but tragically, get caught in snow storm near Icicle Inn. They reach shelter, but what will happen when they get there?Mara and Sean are OC.


Sean and Mara began to dust off the heavy, white powder that adorned their heads and shoulders as Vincent unlocked the door to their room at Icicle Inn. The ensuing snow storm was getting worse as minutes turned into hours into the night, and the trio considered themselves lucky to have even found Icicle Inn, let alone a room. The door swung open with a heavy creak, and Vincent reached inside to turn on the light switch first. An old Turks habit, stemming back from their active duty days, and with their current enemies, a little caution never hurt. With a quick glance around the room, they entered.

"Did you see the look that inn keeper gave us when we came in?" Mara rolled her eyes as she reached into the bathroom for a towel. Her hair was absolutely soaked. A warm bath, she reasoned, would do her A LOT of good right now.

"Have you seen the look that EVERY inn keeper gives us when we walk in?" Sean snorted, but smirked.

"I know…" Mara whined. "But, for once, I'd like to enter an inn, a bar…SOME WHERE…like a normal girl…Ya know?"

Vincent shrugged out of his red cape and sat down on the bed to slowly remove his boots. "Perhaps he was just not expecting anyone in this weather…" Vincent said quietly, but he knew what Sean meant. None of them were exactly "normal" any more…Vincent knew that he, himself, drew an awful lot of curiosity or ire as they walked in the streets. Mara and Sean's oddities were a little less obvious, but he had long ago gotten over the idea that he was alone in his strangeness. The three of them had wandered the globe for close to a century now, never quite fitting in anywhere…. Being chased out of bars, not given service at inns and other establishments… The innkeeper's reaction was nothing new to them at all, yet it did not make it any less frustrating.

Sean finally sighed, his anger slightly subsiding. "I suppose… I think we would have caused less of a ruckus…" He glanced above him as one of the wall fixtures was wavering on the wall. "…And gotten a better room….had we been walking snowmen."

Mara smirked at that. "At least, he gave us a room..." Her grin got larger. "Even if it's…over the bar." She rolled her eyes.

"He did mention that the bar closed at midnight…" Vincent gave them a small smile.

"And how many bars do you know that say they close at midnight actually do?" Sean shook his head, and looked at Mara, who very much looked like a cold drowned rat. "Since we're not going to be getting any sleep tonight…" Sean nodded to the bathroom. "Why don't you go take a shower, first…"

"Ooooh…" Mara grinned. "Why thank you!" Mara paused. She knew that Sean was a gentleman, but something seemed a little out of place. She could see the mischief jumping in Sean's eyes. "…What…?" She folded her arms and gave him a very suspicious look. Vincent also turned to look at Sean curiously.

Sean rolled his eyes, but smirked as he procured a bottle of Scotch from his bag. Vincent grinned appreciatively, and Mara couldn't help but laugh. "The rest of us will just have to get warm the old fashioned way…"

Mara was now definitely amused. "What the hell?!"

Sean continued to smirk. "I bought it at the bar while the two of you were procuring the room…"

"But you don't drink…." Mara's lip turned upward into a smile.

Sean laughed evilly. "I was going to go get some coffee while you were gone…"

Mara's mouth formed a perfect "o". "You were going to have a drinking party while I was in the shower, and then, you were going to get coffee?!" Mara turned her back to Sean in an effort to show him that she was angry. She could already tell, though, that he wasn't buying it, and when he started to chuckle, she started to laugh as well. Vincent just smiled as he sat on the bed. These simple moments of pleasure were so hard to come by these days…Worry about the future constantly flooded their consciousness. Mara plopped down into one of the chairs by the window and turned over the glasses one by one.

"So, I take it that you're not going to be taking a shower, then?" Sean began to peel off his trench coat finally.

"Hell no…" Mara leaned back in her chair. "And get cold coffee?"

Sean snorted and looked at Vincent. "We know where her priorities are, don't we?"

Vincent snorted as well and looked at his wife. "There are worse things…" He sounded slightly exasperated.

"See?" Mara folded her arms in smug satisfaction.

Sean plopped down into the seat next to her. "Fine...No one takes a shower until the Scotch and coffee are gone…."

Mara poked him from across the table. "Then, we're gonna sit here until someone gets the coffee…."

Sean glanced back at her.

"Your idea…" She shrugged.

"Fine…." Sean muttered as he put both hands on the arms of the chair and lifted himself out of it.

"And don't forget to bring the sugar and cream…" She said with a smirk, hoping to annoy him.

As Sean had one hand on the door handle, he turned halfway around and flipped her off with his other hand. Mara giggled as the door slowly closed behind Sean. Vincent shook his head, and looked at his wife, who merely just started to laugh all over again.


End file.
